You don’t have to be the star to help make the show a success.
Recently, my friend and colleague Tracy Spears, CSP, spoke at the Keurig Dr Pepper Territory Leaders Conference.
I was there to hear Tracy’s presentation and support her. That is one of the pleasures of being part of the National Speakers Association. Professional speakers learn from each other, recommend each other, encourage each other, and show up for each other.
On this occasion, I discovered I could do a little more than show up.
A Wise Investment in the Message
The leaders at Keurig Dr Pepper made a very wise decision.
They understood that Tracy’s leadership message did not have to end when her presentation did. They invested in a copy of her book for every attendee.
Think about the value of that decision.
A powerful presentation creates excitement, insight, and motivation in the moment. A book gives the audience an opportunity to revisit those ideas, share them, and put them into action long after the applause has ended.
After her presentation, Tracy had a table outside the meeting room where she signed books and personally interacted with each attendee.
Naturally, there was a line.
That’s when I became part of the act.
Why Should Waiting Be Boring?
If you know me, you know I have had plenty of experience entertaining people while they wait to buy merchandise at California Guitar Trio and King Crimson concerts.
Why should a book-signing line be any different?
As attendees waited to meet Tracy, I started talking with them.
“How did you enjoy Tracy’s message?”
“Where are you from?”
I turned their name tags around so Tracy could easily see their names when they reached her. I suggested they open their books to the page where they wanted Tracy’s autograph.
None of these actions was significant on its own.
Together, they made the wait a little easier, the interaction a little smoother, and the experience a little more enjoyable.
And I had great fun meeting everyone.
Disney has long understood an important principle: the wait is part of the experience.
That principle applies to professional presentations too.
The audience experience begins before the speaker says the first word—and it continues after the speaker delivers the final line.
Three Lessons from Tracy’s Presentation
- Professional speakers support professional speakers.
One of the great benefits of my decades in the National Speakers Association is the friendships I have developed with talented colleagues.
We may all earn our living speaking in front of audiences, but that does not mean we are always competing for the spotlight.
Sometimes the most valuable role we can play is helping someone else shine.
Supporting a colleague might mean recommending them for an engagement, sharing an idea, offering feedback, sitting in the audience, celebrating their success—or turning a few name tags around while their audience waits for an autograph.
Generosity is good for our profession.
- Reinforce the message after the presentation.
A presentation may last 45 or 60 minutes. The ideas should last much longer.
Keurig Dr Pepper reinforced its investment in Tracy by putting her book into the hands of every attendee.
That transformed the book from merchandise into a leadership development tool.
For meeting planners and leaders, there is an important question here:
What will your audience have tomorrow that reinforces what they heard today?
It might be a book, workbook, video resource, follow-up exercise, coaching session, or conversation with their manager.
The objective is not simply for people to say, “That was a great presentation.”
The objective is for them to remember the message and do something differently because of it.
- Every moment of the audience experience matters.
We often think the presentation begins when the speaker walks onstage and ends when the applause starts.
It doesn’t.
What happens before, during, and after the formal presentation contributes to the audience’s experience.
Was the speaker accessible?
Was the message reinforced?
Did attendees have an opportunity to ask questions?
Did the experience feel personal?
Even something as ordinary as waiting in line can become another opportunity for connection.
The details matter because audiences do not experience our presentations as a collection of isolated moments.
They experience the whole event.
Tracy Hooper, author of The Now Hello and the New Hello read Deliver Unforgettable Presentations.
Be Willing to Be Part of the Act
As a Hall of Fame speaker, I have been fortunate to spend much of my career onstage.
Yes, I love being the speaker.
However, I also enjoy being part of the act when someone else is the star.
There is great satisfaction in watching a talented colleague succeed, and discovering a small way to contribute to that success.
Congratulations, Tracy, on delivering a leadership message worth reinforcing.
And congratulations to the leaders at Keurig Dr Pepper for recognizing that the value of a presentation can continue long after the speaker leaves the stage.
The next time you attend a colleague’s presentation, look around.
Perhaps there is someone you can introduce.
A problem you can solve.
An audience member you can engage.
A detail you can make easier.
You may not be the star.
You can still help make the show a success.
“Patricia Fripp is amazing. As a speech coach, you’ll never find anyone with her wisdom, experience, and ability.”
Bhavin Shah, CEO & Founder, Moveworks
“Your presentation was masterful. Your coaching was world-class.” Tom Ferry, #1 ranked Real Estate Educator
“Patricia Fripp is a miracle worker and an executive’s best resource.” Larraine Segil, Chairman and CEO of the Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation
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